Police, community and calendar briefs for Jan. 1, 2014

Published: Wednesday, January 1, 2014 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, December 31, 2013 at 6:15 p.m.

Police beat

Detective’s DUI sentence altered

The Ocala Police Department major crimes detective who was arrested in September and accused of driving under the influence and striking a mailbox had his probation modified earlier this month by a judge.

On Oct. 31, Miguel Gauthier, 48, accepted a plea agreement from the State Attorney’s Office, pleading no contest to misdemeanor DUI with property damage.

Earlier this month, County Judge James McCune agreed to allow Gauthier to complete his 60 hours of community service by paying $10 per hour. Gauthier was also ordered to serve 12 months of probation and received one day credit for time served in the Marion County Jail.

Court documents cite Gauthier’s unpredictable work schedule as the reason for paying instead of completing community service tasks. Gauthier was off duty at the time the DUI occurred.

Deputies: Man stole TV from girlfriend’s mom

SILVER SPRINGS SHORES — A 26-year-old Silver Springs Shores man who authorities said broke into his girlfriend’s mother’s home and took a 60-inch flat screen television was arrested and charged with residential burglary, grand theft and dealing in stolen property.

After the theft was reported, a neighbor told Marion County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Stephen Juliano that he saw a man — later identified as Travis L. Boger — taking a television from the home on Hemlock Radial Court and showing it to a man in a black car.

At the home, Boger told the deputy the residence belongs to his girlfriend’s mother and that he and his girlfriend were there to pick up some of her clothes. He said his girlfriend was inside, but she was not. The deputy noticed that tape had been placed over a motion detector.

The deputy contacted the girlfriend, who said Boger should not have been at the residence and that no tape should be over the motion detector.

The man in the car told the deputy that Boger told him he had a television for sale and asked him to come to that location. He said Boger brought out the TV, described as a 60-inch Samsung valued at $1,000, but he decided against buying it.

The owner and president of the Rainbow Springs Golf and Country Club, 19330 SW 83rd Place Road, told a sheriff’s deputy that someone stole a prism from a flag pole and damaged the golf course. The discovery was made Monday morning.

The 16th green, at Southwest 88th Place Road and U.S. 41, sustained the most damage. The owner said sod used on the greens is a special type purchased from Georgia. He said the damage cannot be repaired and the whole green area will have to be re-sodded.

Anyone with information can call the Sheriff’s Office at 732-9111 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP.

Community

Humane Society offers pet parenting classes

Registrations are being accepted for pet parenting classes offered by the Humane Society of Marion County. The focus is to help people unchain dogs by providing education and services such as free fencing and spay/neuter. Classes are held the first Saturday of every month at 701 NW 14th Road, Ocala.

The next class is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday. Pre-registration is required.

For more information, call Gerry Brent at 236-0483.

Lecture on Jewish views of afterlife

Rabbi Ze’ev Harari of Temple Beth Shalom will present the Jewish view of afterlife during a lecture sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance of Marion County. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. Monday at First Congregational United Church, 7171 SW State Road 200, Ocala.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, call 629-3897 or 629-3587 or email TIAofMarionCountyFL@gmail.com.

Quarterly memorial for veterans Saturday

Marion County Veterans Services and the Marion County Veterans Council will host the Quarterly Memorial Ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, 2601 SE Fort King St., Ocala.